WHAT DOES THIS CHERRY STRAWBERRY LEMONADE SANGRIA TASTE LIKE?

It tastes like fruit punch mixed with grape juice…but better. Because there’s wine and rum in there.

Yes…rum.

This is no classic sangria recipe, my friends. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Let’s start with the basics. For example, the ingredients…

INGREDIENTS IN STRAWBERRY LEMONADE SANGRIA

Strawberries

Cherries

One peach

Half an orange

One lemon

Spiced Rum

Strawberry lemonade

1 bottle of your favorite Pinot Noir

Carbonated water

Ice

Fresh basil

HOW TO MAKE CHERRY STRAWBERRY LEMONADE SANGRIA

All sangria recipes call for a few simple components, that, when mixed together should make a magical, delicious, fruity wine punch. The rules for making sangria are flexible, so add your favorites.

Wine. The type of wine you choose to use will vary depending on why type of sangria you are looking to make- red, white, sparkling?

Stronger stuff. As mentioned above, it is believed that the more “traditional” sangria was mixed with brandy. However, try something new like vodka, rum, flavored liqueur, etc.

A Mixer. Sangria, when done correctly, is delicious and dangerous. So, unless you want to be asleep on the floor by 8 pm, it is recommended that a little juice or carbonated water be added. In the case of this Strawberry Lemonade Sangria Recipe, I added strawberry lemonade. It added just the right amount of sweetness.

Sweetener. Some people add sugar. Some people do not. In the case of this Strawberry Lemonade Sangria, added sugar was NOT necessary. That said, I can’t speak for all Sangria recipes.

Fruit. Fresh, ripe, seasonal fruit is always the best choice.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST STRAWBERRY SANGRIA RECIPE

Sangria is super easy to make. And this Strawberry Sangria Recipe? Could not be easier.

Use a wine you know you’ll love. I grabbed a wine with notes of orange and cherries.

In other words, if you absolutely love a $4 bottle of wine, then use it!

Fresh, ripe, seasonal fruit is always best. It doesn’t matter if you’re soaking fruit in booze, unripe fruit is unripe fruit and always will be. Fresh, ripe strawberries and cherries will produce a much more beautiful flavor than their unripe and bitter comrades.

Muddle the fruit in the hard alcohol and juice…but not too much. You don’t want a pulpy mess, but a little muddling to help release some of the flavors is never a bad idea.

Don’t add too much hard stuff.

But don’t forget the hard stuff either.

Make sure you let the fruit and the wine soak for at least 30 minutes before adding any carbonated water and serving.

On the flip side, longer is not always better- it’s best to enjoy your sangria withing 24 hours.

Serve chilled.

BUT REALLY? SANGRIA RECIPE WITH RUM?

Yes! Totally. Try it.

I’ll be honest, I surprised myself, too. In general, I’m not much of a rum kind of a gal, but it totally makes sense in this Strawberry Lemonade Sangria. Besides, rum practically screams SUMMER in your face. And, since I wanted to use this Falcon’s Perch Pinot Noir with cherries and strawberries, I knew the spiced rum would give it a nice, light, summery balance.

You guys, it’s honestly the most dangerous strawberry sangria recipe you will ever make…in a good way!

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Strawberry Lemonade Sangria with Basil and Cherries

5 from 4 votes

Classic Sangria is good, but this Strawberry Lemonade Sangria is better. Made with fresh basil, Pinot Noir, spiced rum, strawberry lemonade, and mixed fruits like strawberries and cherries, this summer Sangria is guaranteed to be one you make over and over again.

For best results, mix the rum, wine, and strawberry lemonade together in a large pitcher with the fresh chopped fruit and allow mixture to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes

Instructions

Add the strawberries, cherries, peach, orange, and lemon slices to a large pitcher. Add the rum and strawberry lemonade and gently muddle to extract the flavors of the fruit into the juice and alcohol.

Pour the red wine into the pitcher and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, fill a glass with ice and fill three-fourths of the way full with sangria. Top off each glass with bubbly water or lemon-lime soda. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

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About Jessica

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, Buzzfeed, FeedFeed and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

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About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, Buzzfeed, FeedFeed and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.